Can I run LLMs on Android without an internet connection?

Yes. Once the model is downloaded, Off Grid runs entirely offline. No internet, no server calls, no cloud.

Do I need an account to run LLMs locally on Android?

No. Off Grid requires no account, no login, and no API key. Download the app and a model and you're done.

What Android phones can run LLMs locally in 2026?

Any Android phone with 4GB RAM running Android 10 or later can run Qwen 3.5 2B. For larger models like Qwen 3.5 9B you need 8GB RAM - flagship devices like the Pixel 8 Pro, Samsung S24, or OnePlus 12.

Which LLM runs best on Android in 2026?

For 4GB RAM devices, Qwen 3.5 2B (Q4_K_M). For 8GB+ devices, Qwen 3.5 9B or Gemma 4 E4B. Both support thinking mode for complex tasks.

How to Run LLMs Locally on Your Android Phone in 2026 (No Cloud, No Account)

Every time you ask ChatGPT a question, it’s logged on a server. Your query, the response, the time, your account. It’s stored indefinitely. That data is used to improve models, inform advertising, comply with law enforcement requests.

Off Grid removes that entire layer. The model runs in your phone’s RAM via llama.cpp on ARM64. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Here’s how to set it up.

What you need

Android phone with 4GB RAM or more (Android 10+)
2–5GB free storage depending on the model you choose
Internet once for the initial download - then never again

Step 1 - Download Off Grid

Get Off Grid on Google Play

Step 2 - Choose a model

All models use Q4_K_M quantisation by default - the best balance of quality and size for mobile.

Model	Min RAM	Size	Best for
Qwen 3.5 0.8B	3GB	~0.8GB	Ultra-fast, 262K context, budget devices
Qwen 3.5 2B	4GB	~1.7GB	Best for 4–6GB RAM devices, 262K context
Gemma 4 E2B	4GB	~1.5GB	Vision + thinking mode, MoE architecture
Mistral 7B	6GB	~4.1GB	Fast, reliable general purpose
Gemma 4 E4B	6GB	~2.5GB	Strong reasoning + vision, thinking mode
Qwen 3.5 9B	8GB	~5.5GB	Best on-device quality overall

Start with Qwen 3.5 2B on a 4–6GB device. Start with Qwen 3.5 9B if you have 8GB+ RAM.

Step 3 - Download and load

Open Off Grid → tap Models
Select your model → tap Download
Once downloaded, tap Load
Open Chat and start

The model runs entirely on your device from this point. No network requests.

Step 4 - Go offline

Turn on airplane mode. Open a chat. It still works.

This is the point. You now have a capable AI assistant that works without any network connection, on any network, in any country, with no monthly bill.

Performance by device

Off Grid uses llama.cpp on ARM64 with NEON, i8mm, and dotprod SIMD instructions. Optional OpenCL GPU offloading is available on Qualcomm Adreno GPUs.

Device	RAM	Recommended model	Approx tok/s
Pixel 9 Pro	16GB	Qwen 3.5 9B	15–25
Samsung Galaxy S25	12GB	Qwen 3.5 9B	15–25
Pixel 8 Pro	12GB	Qwen 3.5 9B	12–20
Samsung S24	8GB	Qwen 3.5 9B or Gemma 4 E4B	10–18
Pixel 7	8GB	Qwen 3.5 9B	8–15
OnePlus 12	12GB	Qwen 3.5 9B	12–20
Samsung A55	8GB	Qwen 3.5 2B	15–25
Budget 4GB device	4GB	Qwen 3.5 0.8B	20–35

Why run LLMs locally instead of using the cloud?

Privacy. Your queries never leave your device.

No cost. No API fees, no subscription. The model is free to download and runs forever.

Offline. Works on planes, in areas with bad signal, in countries where cloud AI services are restricted.

Speed. For short queries, local inference on modern ARM chips is surprisingly fast - often faster than waiting for a cloud response on a slow connection.